Museum Professionals and Reenactorsby Charlie McCulloh

Recently
I had a misunderstanding with a museum curator. This person called himself a
“Museum Professional” and pointed out that it was conduct such as mine that
made “Museum Professionals harbor ill feelings about reenactors”. At first I
was shocked, as I had abided by all verbal agreements that were set forth
initially. Then I begin to think of all the times that I have run into attitudes
that are similar among “Museum Professionals”, Park Rangers, Scholars and
Authors.A general disdain for “grown ups playing Cowboys and
Indians” and the over riding smug feeling that what a reenactor does has no
relevance to “real” historical study. I will not say I have encountered that
attitude from all I have dealt with, but I have noticed it in quite a few of
these so called “professionals”.

So
why are we treated this way? Admittedly there are MANY yahoos in reenacting that
have never opened a book on the subject of the Civil War. Many reenactors dress
and displaythe most unperiod
ludicrous behavior. Sometimes this makes me cringe also, I won’t deny that as
fact. Still, are we to be dismissed as a group of morons incapable of obtaining
knowledge? Are the “professionals” the only ones able, or even allowed to
interpret our past? I don’t know about you but I resent that attitude. I hold
Professional Registrations and Licences in several states and I would never
think of posturing with the attitude that I knew ALL THERE WAS TO KNOW about my
profession, much less don an imperial condesending attitude about research or
knowledge. Part of the mandate of my Registrations is to increase the knowledge
in my profession. These postures by “professionals” puzzle me. I truly
don’t understand the attitude that wants to control knowledge. I admit that I
have heard the axiom of “knowledge is power”, but the obstruction of a free
flow of information should not be tolerated.

I
continually see reenactors, both advanced and novice, freely give of their time
and MONEY to historic sites, museums, parks and schools. I know of NO composite
group out there that gives more support to the institutions and people who
dismiss them as “jokes”. To these “professionals” I would pose these
questions. Who is there to support your programs, give contributions, and buy
your books? What is the first group to raise a cry when a battlefield is
encroached, a budget cut, or a cemetery compromised? What group, as a whole,
tries to raise the general public’s awareness of the plight of “History”
today?

The
general public? They haven’t wanted to know anything about History since their
D in high school.

I
have in the past heard reenactors say of Historic Sites.....”yeah, they love
reenactors....as long as they’re making a donation”. I have heard others
say......”the object of the museum is to deny access to information”. I had
never considered these comments as valid, until recently. I now must reexamine
the basic fundamental relationships of reenactors and institutions. Never mind
the fact that I have spent several thousand dollars on uniforms, weapons and
appurtenances. Disregard the fact that I have spent both time AND money
traveling to support historic sites and historic causes. Forget that I routinely
spend from 1-4 hours every day either sewing uniforms, making accouterments,
researching facts or just plain reading comprehensive historical books. Let all
of that be discounted and I would still resent the idea that I “can’t be
trusted” to research and interpret our history. Worse yet, that I would be
denied access to research material because I was a reenactor and considered
“flaky”!

I
originally entered reenacting to experience the feelings of the soldiers I had
read about for 35 years. I wanted to know what it was like to struggle in a left
wheel with all your gear in the hot sun as the noise and the heat smothers you
like a blanket. It wasn’t real to me, no matter how many first hand soldiers
accounts I read, until I did it myself. Sure, I’m a reenactor, but I have
experienced things that the large majority of “museum professionals”,
academics and authors will never know. Secure in that knowledge, I don’t give
a damn about what the “professionals” think. You shouldn’t either. Keep
researching. Keep learning.